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CSU students are celebrating the news, issued last Friday, that CSU Chancellor Timothy White will not pursue a student tuition increase for the 2018-19 Academic Year starting July 1.

Kelsey Baird, a sociology student at CSU San Marcos, who took the long bus ride from San Diego County to Sacramento on April 4 to campaign for greater state funding for the CSU, was happy on hearing the news

She said, “This goes to show how important it is that students and faculty band together and make our voices heard. It’s really kind of astonishing that we got something that we fought for.”

Isaiah Avila-De La Cruz, a CSU East Bay student who also traveled to the Capitol April 4, echoed Baird’s comment saying, “This victory is a testament to the amazing power students and faculty have when we work together.”

The Chancellor’s decision comes just two weeks after the April 4 Rally at the State Capitol, when some 1,000 students, faculty and supporters called on the Governor and lawmakers to provide the public funding the CSU needs to educate California’s students.

The event, organized by CFA and Students for Quality Education, included speeches from the top leaders of the state legislature—Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins—as well the Chancellor, two Trustees, other legislators and many CSU students and faculty. (See a video collage of the April 4 Rally.)

The CSU Trustees had been considering a vote on increasing student tuition at their upcoming May 15-16 meeting. CFA has consistently argued that CSU administrators and Trustees must stop relying on students to make up losses in state funding through tuition increases. As documented in CFA’s paper Equity Interrupted, state funding has declined and tuition has climbed in sync with CSU coming to serve a student body that is predominantly students-of-color and lower-income.

“The trend of disinvestment needs to be turned around so that our students today have the same opportunities that CSU students had 30 years ago when fees were very low, tuition was non-existent, and the students were mostly white,” says CFA President Jennifer Eagan.

Eagan added, “We appreciate that the Chancellor took the tuition increase off the table, recognizing that ‘it was the right thing to do.’ Together we must fight for the funding the CSU really needs to educate our students. All of us standing shoulder to shoulder sends the right message.”

According to a CSU news release, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon lauded the decision as “good news,” a message that bodes well for further funding—if the pressure continues.

“CSU students, faculty, staff and leaders have made a strong case for additional funding—and they are being heard,” Rendon said. He promised to “carry this commitment into the budget discussions” when leaders of the Assembly and Senate negotiate with Governor Brown to hammer out a finished 2018-19 state budget, most likely in June.

PHOTO: April 4 Rally for the CSU at the State Capitol. Photo by Michael Henderson, CSU San Marcos.

CFA members from all 23 CSU campuses and members of Students for Quality Education will return to the State Capitol next week to keep up momentum for more CSU funding as well as for key legislation.

During CFA Lobby Days on April 30 and May 1, delegations will meet with state Assemblymembers and Senators on CFA’s 2018 Legislative Agenda and provide helpful data in support of important budget language.

The faculty and student “lobbyists” will call for passage of SB 968, among other bills. SB 968 would to increase the ratio of tenure-line mental health counselors to students on CSU campuses.

There are far too few counselors for the increasing numbers of CSU students, resulting in long wait times for students to get help. The shortage compounds the anxiety produced not only by the normal stresses of college life, but also by financial pressures that lead students to work far more than the recommended hours, and, in the case of the 72% of the CSU student body who are students of color, by racist incidents on and near campuses.

The stress has been mounting on everyone—students, the counselors trying to help them, and other faculty members whose students need the help.

“We were at a public hearing on SB 968 this morning, and it made us hopeful to hear the concern on the part of lawmakers about this critical shortage of mental health care on our campuses,” said Mimi Bommersbach, chair of CFA’s Counselors Committee.

“We are deeply grateful for the support of so many CFA colleagues who will be in Sacramento next week lobbying for CFA-sponsored bills, including one for a better-staffed mental health care system for our students,” she said.

Of course, CFA Lobby Day delegations will make state funding for the CSU an essential part of the conversation. In addition to pressing for much more than Governor Brown has proposed, they will argue for language in the budget specifying that $50 million of the allocation be dedicated to increasing the proportion of tenure-line faculty in the CSU.

PHOTO: Mimi Bommersbach, chair of CFA’s Counselors Committee, testified this morning at a hearing of the Senate Education Committee to argue for more mental health counselors for students. The bill, SB 968 passed unanimously out of the committee. On CFA Lobby Days, participants will explain the bill to their respective legislators. Photo by Aimee Shreck.

The California State Primary Election is June 5, and this year the election can make an important difference for the future of the CSU.

It is critical to us, our students, our system, and the state that we elect lawmakers and statewide leaders who understand the need to fund and support public higher education.

“It makes all the difference in the world,” said Lillian Taiz, CFA Political Action and Legislation Chair, “when we can advocate for the university and our students before people who understand our system and the critical need to invest in public higher education. There is no way to underestimate the importance for the future of our university of working to elect the right candidates.”

CFA chapters on the 23 CSU campuses interview candidates and make endorsement recommendations to the CFA Political Action Committee and then CFA’s Board of Directors.

Two of the most significant endorsements CFA has made are Gavin Newsom for Governor, and Tony Thurmond for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Gavin Newsom spent eight years as an ex-officio member of the CSU Board of Trustees and is a strong advocate for our students and faculty on the board; Tony Thurmond also has been a staunch supporter of higher education during his time in the Assembly.

Both understand the need for proper state funding for the CSU, and the educational advantages of appropriate tenure density in the faculty. They also support the concept of establishing a salary schedule for CSU faculty in state statute to bring faculty in line with other state employees who get predictable raises based on their years of service.

Of course, voting is always important. If you have moved, you need to register to vote, and it can be done entirely online on the Secretary of State’s web page. Urge others who support public higher education to register to vote as well by sharing the link.

And, you can make an even bigger difference. You can help others learn about these candidates by participating in phone banking and other campaigning that is just now being organized by your campus CFA Chapter.

Sign-up here to take political action along with other CFA-member colleagues in supporting CFA’s endorsed candidates in the June 5 primary election; a CFA representative will be in touch to discuss ways you can help.

Paid for by Faculty for Our University’s Future, a committee sponsored by the California Faculty Association. This advertisement was not authorized or paid for by a candidate for this office or a committee controlled by a candidate for this office.

SAFETY HAZARDS FOUND ON ALL FOUR CSU CAMPUSES AUDITED: California State Auditor Elaine Howle’s audit of safety hazards on four CSU campuses is in, and the findings are disturbing—faulty laboratory equipment, unsafe drinking water, asbestos and chemical spills.

“Without resolving these issues, campuses cannot ensure they are effectively protecting students and employees against injuries and illnesses,” wrote Howle.

None of the four CSU campuses that were examined—CSU Channel Islands, CSU Sacramento, San Diego State, and Sonoma State—could demonstrate that they provide students with safety training before working in labs.

The audit was requested by the CSU Employees Union, which represents staff employees, after a chemical spill at Sacramento resulted in injuries, and after a faculty-student chemistry class project found excessive lead in the water in campus fountains.

“We are glad that CSUEU pressed for this audit. It confirms our concerns that there are dangers for faculty, staff, and students in our work and teaching environment,” said Margarita Berta-Ávila, CFA Chapter President at CSU Sacramento.

CSU Chancellor’s Office public affairs noted in a Capital Public Radio report on the audit that a health and safety task force was formed in January 2017, and a consultant was hired to offer online safety training.

JUDGE DECIDES CANCELLATION OF DACA WAS ILLEGAL: A federal judge ruled yesterday that the Trump administration decision to end DACA, the program to protect from deportation young people brought to the U.S. as children, was “virtually unexplained” and therefore unlawful. The judge’s order requires the Department of Homeland Security to continue accepting renewals and to allow first-time DACA applications. However, the judge held back implementation of his order for 90 days to give DHS an “opportunity to better explain its view that DACA is unlawful.” Plaintiffs supporting DACA include two unions and the NAACP.

CFA Associate VP Rafael Gomez said of the decision, “We are not there yet but we are getting closer. The ruling by the court is a move in the right direction. The rescission of DACA by the current administration was arbitrary and capricious and it is encouraging that the courts agree with this assessment.”

Gomez added, “I call on our colleagues and allies to redouble their efforts to make sure we find a lasting solution to this injustice. All DACA recipients deserve to be given an opportunity to contribute to the only country they know.”

ACADEMIC FREEDOM IS TOPIC OF BARGAINING: Academic Freedom in the best of times is a challenge to preserve and to practice. In 2018, it is especially difficult—witness the controversy at CSU Fresno over a faculty member’s ability to speak their mind on Twitter. (See news articles in “Links of the Week”). In that case, after a number of unclear public statements, CSU Fresno President Castro resolved that no further investigation is warranted.

In that context, CFA and representatives of the CSU Chancellor’s Office met late last week to consider improvements to Academic Freedom language in the collective bargaining agreement covering Unit 3 Faculty.

Kevin Wehr, chair of CFA’s Bargaining Team, explains, “This discussion is an outcome of the 2017 contract extension, adopted just before all of us in the CSU faculty were to go on strike. We extended our contract with essential elements including salary increases, and agreed to go on talking about other issues that needed more time.”

‘RADIO FREE CSU’—LATEST PODCAST WITH CFA VP CHARLES TOOMBS: The fourth episode of “Stronger Together,” a 10-part podcast series, discusses CFA’s commitment to be deliberate in addressing racism. That means tackling obstacles that sprout up along the way, and finding ways that faculty and allies can be part of the solution. Toombs’ exploration of these topics illustrates CFA’s Anti-Racism and Social Justice Transformation principle that “We acknowledge that we can be part of the solution by being intentionally committed to addressing racism.” Click here to listen to the full podcast. More episodes are available here.

CFA MEMBER BECOMES COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRUSTEE: Congratulations to CSU Long Beach CFA member Uduak-Joe Ntuk, who was elected as a Trustee for the Long Beach Community College District. Read about it in the Long Beach Gazette.

These days many faculty members create electronic or online content for their courses. These materials are usually placed on the web in a variety of ways, often in course management systems like Blackboard or iLearn.

Occasionally there are misunderstandings about who actually owns these materials once they’re placed online.

Article 39 of our Collective Bargaining Agreement ensures faculty members retain the rights to materials they create so long as there is no “extraordinary University support” in creating those materials. Faculty must sign a separate agreement acknowledging extraordinary support and agreeing affirmatively to share their intellectual property. Article 39 applies to faculty teaching traditional classes, online classes, and in Extension for Credit.

The online nature of course materials does not change the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. In other words, electronic and online materials do not become the property of the University or any third-party vendor who supplies a service to the University. To be sure, providing the course management system, or paying your regular salary does not constitute “extraordinary University support.”

It’s important to note that the Fall 2017 CBA extension agreement with the CSU Administration allows CFA and CSU management to continue negotiations about Intellectual Property and Academic Freedom during the next two years, and we will keep members posted about any changes in the works.

Cal State University tuition won’t go up, but higher costs still hitting students89.3 KPCC
“I give most of the credit to this decision to our student activists who have really been at the forefront: they’ve been active, they’ve been visible,” said California Faculty Association President Jennifer Eagan.

Cal State leader shelves proposed tuition hike: ‘It’s the right thing to do, but it’s not without risk’Los Angeles Time

How Much Did Professors Earn This Year? Barely Enough to Beat InflationChronicle of Higher Education
A rise in the cost of living chipped away at salary gains by full-time faculty members in the 2017-18 academic year, according to new survey data published by the AAUP.

Blackface is free speech but anti-Bush tweet is not at California universityThe Guardian

Protected Speech, a ‘Perfect’ Political TargetInside Higher Ed
Randa Jarrar’s case at Cal State Fresno has attracted national attention, much of it arguably undue. Will she be punished? It’s hard to say, given academe’s unpredictable track record on discipline for faculty social media snafus.

Faculty union condemns Aztec mascotThe Daily Aztec
In a vote at CFA’s 87th annual assembly on April 14 and 15, members denounced the Aztecs moniker, the mascot’s human representation and “the usage of spears or weapons that connote violent and barbaric representations of Indigenous cultures.”

HUMBOLDT: Upset mothers march to city hallThe Lumberjack (Humboldt State)
Just a few days after the one-year anniversary of the death of HSU student David Josiah Lawson, who was fatally stabbed at an off-campus party on April 15, 2017, people are impatient for answers. … Leslie Rodelander is a grant analyst at the Sponsored Programs Foundation at HSU. “If compassion doesn’t move you, hopefully economics will,” Rodelander said. “I see the sheets, and the number of students coming to HSU is dropping and will continue to drop if this does not get fixed.” Also see “Say his name,” The Lumberjack, a report on the case and the protests.

Sacramento State had lead and chemical safety problems. Does CSU have system-wide issues?Sacramento Bee

U.S. Must Keep DACA and Accept New Applications, Federal Judge RulesNew York Times